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Angels, demons and the word (soteriology means Saviour/preserver/salvation)
Today there is an industry surrounding angelology, fairies, leprechauns, etc. and as scholars we need to be able to negotiate what is true concerning the beliefs of Christianity.
But what do you think is an angel?
Could what some see as an angel be a demon?
As we have studied much of our understanding as Christians has evolved from the Judiastic belief system and we need to now look at how the Jews and Jesus saw the role of both angels and demons.
Virtually all religions & cultures have various supernatural entities that are considered good or malevolent, even evil.
In some cultures, these may be simply forces of nature like hurricanes.
Sometimes they are entities with capabilities for destruction such as fertility gods/goddesses.
And in some belief systems, they are evil spirits hellbent on making one's life miserable.
Ashmedai or Ashmodeus (the devil on two sticks)
this character originates in the Book of Tobit and is there described as the king of the demons, he also appears in other Talmudic writings concerning the construction of Solomon’s Temple.
He later in medieval times emerged as the king of the nine hells as the demon of lust responsible for the twisting of sexual desires in people in the extra biblical source the Book of Tobias.
His name means ‘divine being’ and he has the power to send those who fall under his spell to the second level of hell and in reality may have originated form earlier Persian beliefs.
Biblical sources
This source although not an exact name match suggests that he is a false god of the Syrians (at least some heathen gods are therefore described as representations of demons and not just as idols).
There is a loose connection/suggestion that the story in the Book of Tobit:
The Asmodeus of the Book of Tobit is hostile to Sarah, Raguel's daughter, (); and slays seven successive husbands on their wedding nights, impeding the sexual consummation of the marriages.
He is described as 'the worst of demons'.
When the young Tobias is about to marry her, Asmodeus proposes the same fate for him, but Tobias is enabled, through the counsels of his attendant angel Raphael, to render him innocuous.
Can you think of a biblical story that also mentions seven husbands?
The challenge by the Sadducees to Jesus may have originated here:
: 23-
In the Kabbalah he is the result of a sexual liaison between King David and a demon appearing in a female form (a succubus the daughter of Adam’s first wife who mated with an archangel) this originated in medieval times.
There are a number of other extra biblical sources which also mention Ashmedai but quoted are the main sources.
Jewish beliefs about demons
The Jews held various beliefs surrounding demons and their earthly activities.
Strikingly God is definite about avoiding such activity completely and provides a harsh punishment for engaging in such activity:
The spiritual and physical are interrelated.
Those who have learned to rest in the peaceful protection of Jesus will avoid many of the physical side effects that accompany stress, worry and unresolved anger.
Likewise, participation in satanic activity can bring about bizarre physical abnormalities and inner drives toward self-mutilation … ultimately even suicide.
King Saul disobeyed God and consulted a medium for military guidance.
“Saul then said to his attendants, ‘Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.’ ‘There is one in Endor,’ they said.”
(1 Samuel 28:7)
After hearing the prophecy about his own death on the next day, Saul became so despondent with fear of the Philistines that he took his own life.
“Saul said to his armor-bearer, ‘Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and abuse me.’
But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it.”
(1 Chronicles 10:4)
• headaches
• hearing perverted voices
• eating disorders
• vomiting
• supernatural strength
• vile or violent dreams
• voice change
• dizziness
• insensitivity to pain
• excessive sleepiness
The result of Saul’s engagement in with the demonic is a warning that it seems many Jews ignored in Jesus time...
The spiritual and physical are interrelated.
Those who have learned to rest in the peaceful protection of Jesus will avoid many of the physical side effects that accompany stress, worry and unresolved anger.
Likewise, participation in satanic activity can bring about bizarre physical abnormalities and inner drives toward self-mutilation … ultimately even suicide.
King Saul disobeyed God and consulted a medium for military guidance.
“Saul then said to his attendants, ‘Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.’ ‘There is one in Endor,’ they said.”
(1 Samuel 28:7)
After hearing the prophecy about his own death on the next day, Saul became so despondent with fear of the Philistines that he took his own life.
“Saul said to his armor-bearer, ‘Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and abuse me.’
But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it.”
(1 Chronicles 10:4)
The spiritual and physical are interrelated.
Those who have learned to rest in the peaceful protection of Jesus will avoid many of the physical side effects that accompany stress, worry and unresolved anger.
Likewise, participation in satanic activity can bring about bizarre physical abnormalities and inner drives toward self-mutilation … ultimately even suicide.
King Saul disobeyed God and consulted a medium for military guidance.
“Saul then said to his attendants, ‘Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.’ ‘There is one in Endor,’ they said.”
(1 Samuel 28:7)
After hearing the prophecy about his own death on the next day, Saul became so despondent with fear of the Philistines that he took his own life.
“Saul said to his armor-bearer, ‘Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and abuse me.’
But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it.”
(1 Chronicles 10:4)
• headaches
• hearing perverted voices
• eating disorders
• vomiting
• supernatural strength
• vile or violent dreams
• voice change
• dizziness
• insensitivity to pain
• excessive sleepiness
Beliefs in Jesus time about the demonic
Beliefs in Jesus time about the demonic
•they arose out of Adam’s soul after his first sin;
•they were spirits of sinful people who lived before the Flood;
•they were spirits of sinful people who build Babel;
•they were generated from the sins of the wicked;
•they were the offspring of Eve and fallen angels or Adam and female spirits;
N.Scotland, “The Charismatic Devil”, p.105 in P.Riddell, Angels and Demons,2007.
•they were the spirits of sinful people;
•some are transformed over 28 years in equal intervals from vipers to vampires to thistles and thorns to demons.
•The propagate themselves.
•They roam at different times
•when people sleep, they send lying dreams.
•You may meet a demon in the dark without realising it, so it is best not to greet anyone at night.
•Similarly, one should not sleep in an empty house for one could be exposed to an attack.
•They lived in certain shrubs, under gutters, in ruins, cemeteries and especially in the wilderness.
•They were found on dirty hands and on breadcrumbs
•Their most active times are on the eves of Wednesdays and Sabbaths, and just before dawn
•Night, in particular, is spirit time.
Therefore, liquids left standing overnight were not to be drunk nor should one drink from a well at night, for the demons may have drunk from it.
•Food placed under a bed for safekeeping during the night was assumed to be contaminated by evil spirits.
•Similarly, food left overnight was felt to be no longer fit for consumption.
•One should be tightly wrapped in one’s blankets at night, or else engrossed in study.
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